An air mass is a huge body of air that has similar characteristics as the area they were formed Air Masses are named based on where they FORMED TROPICAL POLAR ID: 358322
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Slide1
What is an AIR MASS?Slide2
An
air mass
is a
huge body of air
that has similar characteristics as the area they were formed.Slide3
Air Masses are named based on where they FORMED…
= TROPICAL
= POLAR = MARITIME (means sea… wet) = CONTINENTAL (means land… dry)
WARM
COLD
WET
DRYSlide4
Air Masses
classified by…
MOISTURE
TEMPERATURE
COLD
HOT
WET
DRYSlide5Slide6Slide7
How do these air masses move?
Prevailing Westerlies
JET STREAM
JET STREAM
Prevailing
Westerlies
Prevailing
Westerlies
That’s
why
weather
generally moves
WEST to EAST
in the U.S.Slide8
Air masses are steered by the jet stream.Slide9Slide10
What happens when air masses meet?
Air masses
don’t mix
easily.
The
line
between air masses is called a
front.Slide11
Warm
Front
A warm air mass overtakes a slow-moving cold air mass.Slide12
Cold Fronts and Warm FrontsSlide13
Cold
Front
A fast-moving cold air mass overtakes a warm air mass.Slide14
Cold Fronts and Warm FrontsSlide15
A warm air mass is caught between 2 cooler air masses. Warm air mass is pushed up.
Occluded FrontSlide16
Cold and warm air meet, but neither can move the other. Creates “standoff”
Stationary FrontSlide17
Front
How it Forms
Type of Weather
A fast-moving cold air mass overtakes a warm air mass.
Clouds form.
If warm air is humid, rain/snow may fall.
Possible thunderstorms.
A warm air mass overtakes a slow-moving cold air mass.
Scattered clouds.
Light rain or snow.
May last several days.
Cold and warm air meet, but neither can move the other. Creates “standoff”
Rain, snow, clouds, or fog that may last for days.
A warm air mass is caught between 2 cooler air masses. Warm air mass is pushed up.
Temperature gets cooler.
Clouds and rain may form.
Compare/Contrast Chart - Types of Fronts
Cold
Warm
Occluded
Stationary